Electrical connectors comprising a receptacle connector, a plug connector insertable into the receptacle connector, and a connector position assurance device (“CPA device”) are known in the art. The CPA device is used to ensure that a connection between the plug connector and the receptacle connector is maintained in environments subject to shocks or vibrations which, without a CPA device, might result in disconnection of the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,255 A discloses an electrical connector comprising male and female connectors as well as a locking detector element comprising a locking lance. The male connector comprises a locking element arranged on an external surface of the male connector box in a continuation of a window provided for receiving the locking detector element. When the male connector is inserted into the female connector, the locking detector element is housed in the window of the male connector. A locking stop, provided in the space in the female connector which receives the male connector, thus resiliently deflects the locking element of the male connector as well as the locking lance of the locking detector element. Subsequently, once the locking element of the male connector has passed beyond the locking stop of the female connector, locking the male and female connectors, the locking detector element can advance further in the window to a final position where the locking lance thereof maintains the locking of the electrical connector as a whole.
In conventional CPA device electrical connectors, in the event of shocks or vibrations, the locking elements of the CPA device which assure that a connection is maintained between a first connector and a second connector are subjected to high stresses. Further, if the CPA device is constantly subject to stresses, it is more susceptible to environmental variations and can thus be weakened.
International Patent Application WO 2012/096948 A2 discloses a CPA device comprising a central locking arm arranged between two lateral locking lances configured to establish locking to corresponding ledges of a female box in a pre-locking position. Before initiating plugging a male box into the female box, the CPA device has to be inserted into the female box as far as the pre-locking position, in which the CPA device is immobilized. During plugging, the central locking arm of the CPA device is deflected and released from the pre-locking position by translational contact with the edge of the male box.
Some known CPA devices, as described above, thus make it possible to alleviate in part the strains on the locking assurance element of the CPA device, but require pre-locking the CPA device to a first connector box, which requires an additional locking operation and corresponding additional locking elements which have to be provided on the CPA device. The connector is thus more complex and the use of the additional locking elements leads to new stresses. There is consequently a need in the art to reduce the stresses on the locking assurance elements of a CPA device while also avoiding or at least reducing the need for pre-locking so as to simplify the system and avoid the occurrence of additional stresses.